58 JOURNEY TO THE PAMIRS. 



told us, were the features of the mountain-chain 

 through which the Zarafshan (Yarkand) river 

 flowed. We inquired if there was a road along 

 this river. He replied, " Oh no, there are no 

 banks ; the river at every turn washes up against 

 the sides of the gorge through which it flows." 



At about five o'clock we got to our destination, 

 a small village called Langar. Here w r e found 

 Dauvergne camped in an orchard of apricot and 

 walnut trees. He had been in some time, and 

 had sent over word to the Hakim Beg l at Tung 

 to make arrangements for a zakh, or raft, sup- 

 ported on inflated goatskins, to take his kit across 

 on the morrow. So we told Barat to get out the 

 skins which we had brought for such an emer- 

 gency, and make arrangements for transit the 

 next day. 



Having fortified ourselves with a cup of tea, 

 and settled our camp, Bower and I walked down 

 to the river, which we could hear roaring below. 

 It was at that time a mighty torrent, and looked 

 most uncompromising ; but it had to be crossed 

 somehow. They told us that about a mile above 

 our camp there was a long flat reach where we 



1 The governor of the province of Sirikul, into which you enter 

 after crossing the Zarafshan. 



